Troubleshooting FAQ

If you have cable internet, you share local node bandwidth with your neighbors. During peak hours (6 PM - 11 PM), neighborhood congestion can severely limit your speed. This is an ISP issue, not a router issue.

Yes. Routers are tiny computers with RAM and a processor. Over time, their memory can fill up with cache, or they can overheat slightly, leading to dropped packets. Unplugging it for 30 seconds clears the memory and forces it to renegotiate a fresh connection with the ISP.

Usually, yes. ISPs charge $10-$15 a month to rent their equipment. Buying your own DOCSIS 3.1 modem will often pay for itself within a year, and it guarantees you aren't using refurbished, outdated hardware.

Ethernet is a physical cable connecting a device directly to the router. It is infinitely more stable and faster than WiFi. You should hardwire any stationary, high-bandwidth device (Smart TVs, gaming consoles, desktop PCs).

Generally, no. They create a new network name (SSID) and cut your bandwidth in half. If you need more range, a Mesh network system is a much better investment.

5GHz signals cannot easily penetrate dense walls. If you move two rooms away from the router, the 5GHz signal may degrade so much that your phone automatically drops it and falls back to the stronger, but slower, 2.4GHz network.